Gus Peterson had a secret. He had been living with it for almost two years now. It was bad. So bad that he couldn’t tell anyone. If his family found out, they’d hate him. He just knew it. They’d hate him. They’d blame him. And, he’d lose them. He knew it was true. But, it was getting harder and harder to hide. Gus knew his grades were falling. He quit the swim team ‘cause he just couldn’t hide the bruises. His coach had become suspicious. He’d asked Gus if he was being abused at home. Gus said no. And, it was true. His moms loved him. His dads loved him. They would never hurt him. But, the asshole continued to ask questions, so Gus just quit. That was what brought on the letter from his principal. Suddenly his moms started asking questions, too. Melanie, of course, asked if Brian was hurting him. “No!” Gus shouted. “Pop would never hurt me.” “Sweetie, we know that you love your Dad, but if -.” “NO!” Gus shouted again. “Pop would never hurt me. Dad would never hurt me, either.” “So, what’s going on?” Lindsay asked. “Your coach wrote that he’s seen bruises.” Melanie said. “Who’s doing this to you?” “Nobody.” Gus said. “It’s nothing.” “It is not nothing.” Melanie said. “Butt the fuck out!” Gus yelled. He ran from the house slamming the door behind him. “Call Brian.” Melanie said. “Odds are that’s where he’d headed.” Lindsay nodded already on her way to the phone. -- Gus ran down the street heading as far away from his mothers’ house as he could get. They were going to find out. They were gonna know. He couldn’t let that happen. He would run away. Far away. Somehow he would out run this. He had to. No one can know. He thought as he ran. No one. -- Several hours had passed and still no word from Gus. Lindsay sat diligently by the phone as Brian, Justin, and Melanie canvassed the neighborhood. Gus was nowhere to be found. “I think we need to call the police, Linds.” Melanie said after the fifth time through calling all of the Gus’ friends’ house. “He could be lost or, God forbid, he could be hurt.” Lindsay looked at her lover anxiously. “One way or the other we need to know.” “Carl’ll be able to help.” Brian said. “I’ll call him at his office.” Lindsay nodded as tears welled in her eyes. “Mom?” Kevin Marcus called from the hallway. “Did Gus come home yet?” “No, sweetheart, not yet.” “Do you need help looking for him?” “Thanks, Champ.” Brian said ruffling the younger boy’s hair. “But, we’re going to call the police. You remember Grandma Deb’s boyfriend, Carl, right?” Kevin nodded. “He’s gonna come help us find Gus.” -- Justin decided not to return to the house yet. He had a hunch as to where to find Gus and had driven to a park near the river. He parked his car then walked to the runner’s path along the water’s edge. He frowned when all he saw at first was the odd runner braving the obscenely cold weather. He then turned to look behind him and there sitting on an old rusted swing set was Gus. Justin’s heart immediately jumped into his throat, but he knew better than to run up on the teen. He knew from experience what a frightened kid will do when confronted. He had run from his mother just for asking if he had a boyfriend all those years ago. He knew that if he handled this poorly, Gus might run away for good. Slowly Justin made his way toward Gus. He kept the boy in eyesight, but didn’t take a direct path. He didn’t want Gus to see him too soon. If Justin spooked Gus, Justin knew he’d never be able to keep up with him running. “Gus.” Justin said softly not wanting to scare the boy. “Go ‘way.” Gus said angrily. “I don’t know how you found me here, but just go away.” “Gus, I can’t.” Justin said unable to keep the desperation out of his voice. “Everyone is beside themselves worrying about you.” Gus shook his head. “Yes, they are. We love you and we were so scared.” Gus stood up and Justin stepped back. “Wait.” Gus turned to face Justin. “Don’t run away. I can’t keep up with you, you know that.” Justin could see tears in Gus’ eyes. “Tell me.” Gus shook his head again. “I can’t help if I don’t know what’s wrong. Please, Baby.” “You haven’t called me that in a long time.” Gus said as the tears slipped down his face. “Called you what?” “Baby. You haven’t called me that in a long time.” Gus sniffed. “You told me not to, remember.” Gus nodded. “You were, what, 12, I think. Said you were too big to be called baby.” Gus nodded again. “You’ll always be my baby, though. No matter what.” Gus looked up at Justin and he could see the utter devastation in the teen’s eyes. “I love you. Your Moms love you and I know your Pop loves you more than anything in the world. Nothing is gonna change that.” “It will change.” Gus sobbed. “When you find out what he’s been doing -.” “What whose been doing?” Justin asked suddenly feeling sick to his stomach. “Gus?” “He said I was special.” Gus said tears streaming down his face now. “He told me how beautiful I was and how I was just like Pop.” Justin moved to pull Gus to him but the teen pulled away. “He started by wanting to hug me all the time then he wanted to kiss me. And, it was okay at first, but then he wanted to kiss on the mouth. I told him that wasn’t right, but he said that it was okay cause we were friends and that good friends kissed on the mouth all the time.” Justin couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “I told him to stop, Dad, I really did.” Tears welled in Justin’s eyes as he stared in disbelief at his son. “Then he wanted to touch me. I knew it was wrong. But, he said that if I told anyone he’d hurt me or he’d hurt you or Pop or my moms and I just couldn’t let that happen.” “Gus.” Justin managed. “Did he . . . did he rape you, Baby?” Gus dissolved into sobs at the words and Justin caught him as he slid to the ground. “My God.” Justin said through his own tears. “Gus, Baby, I need you to answer me now, okay.” Gus pulled away to look at Justin. “Who did this to you?” Gus shook his head even more violently. “Gus, I can’t stop him if I don’t know who he is.” Gus kept repeating the word no over and over. “Gus. Look at me.” Gus stopped chanting and looked at Justin once again. “Who is he?” "Uncle Michael." End chapter one.